Former presidential candidate Peter Obi, former APC National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and several leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were reportedly attacked by suspected gunmen in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by Dr. Yunusa Tanko, former spokesman for Obi’s presidential campaign and National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide.
According to the statement, the incident occurred during activities marking the formal defection of Olumide Akpata to the ADC. Tanko alleged that armed men trailed the delegation from the ADC Secretariat to Odigie-Oyegun’s residence, where they opened fire, damaging vehicles and shooting at the entrance gate.
Photos and videos shared by the group showed shattered windscreens of several SUVs and visible bullet marks on the residence gate. The statement described the incident as an apparent assassination attempt and raised concerns about the safety of opposition figures.
The reported attack comes amid heightened political tension in Edo State, particularly as opposition parties continue to challenge recent electoral outcomes and express concerns about political intimidation.
The incident also follows the rejection of the February 21 Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship election results by the ADC candidate, Dr. Moses Paul, and the Obidient Movement. Paul alleged widespread irregularities, including voter suppression and vote buying.
INEC had declared Christopher Maikalangu of the APC winner of the AMAC election after securing 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast. Paul came second with 12,109 votes, while the PDP candidate polled 3,398 votes.
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the alleged attack in Edo as of the time of this report.